#cuts to big ben + parliament then the london eye then tower bridge and the shard. LIKE DUDE YEAH EVERYONE CAN

[mwagneto]

girl WHAT london? when?

[youtube-shoutout]

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[gazyrlezon]

An interesting thing about the Design of the Enola Holmes movie

is that we (almost) never get any big establishing shots of famous London sights to establish that we are, in fact, in London. When Enola arrives we're introduced to the city not by images of St Paul's, Big Ben, but by a shot of a gray mass of houses in the distance before directly cutting into the streets where she parts from Tewksbury; when she searches for her mother, we know she is close by the river and indeed see it for a short moment, but there's no wide sweeping shot flying across the river, and you really have to strain your eye to catch the dome of St. Paul's in the background.

Indeed you can get a glimpse most of the well-known sights in the background every now and then, but usually they're either very distant or only shown in part; even right at the end when everything's about the Reform Bill and the Lords and Tewksbury is just about to vote, we only see the portal of the Houses of Parliament, never the entire building or the grandeur of the thing.

It's especially obvious when compared to Guy Ritchie's Sherlock, where Parliament and Tower Bridge are basically in every second shot (though tbf, Enola Holmes is set earlier, when the latter hadn't been built yet).

I'm not sure if that's because they wanted to show a more Dickensian London as viewed by the lower classes & women instead of the capital-i Imperial London which Sherlock and Mycroft usually inhabit, or if it's just a YA thing — I don't usually watch a lot of YA movies, so I wouldn't know.

It's even more glaring since as soon as we're outside of London there's barely a shot of Tewksbury's home which is not a majestic view of the entire palace

[yvkkao-blog]

Blackboard Prompts

One lump post - might be in other parts of the daybook, but should all be here:

#1:

I have answered this in other entries, but the image that I had of London was one of a fantasy. London is a place where supernatural things happen. It is the setting for books and films. It must be a fantastical place, near mythical. That rather contrasted with the things people would tell me about the weather and the food in London, but I found things like the London fog charming. It gave me a visual of a city draped in a perpetual shroud of mystery. That being said, I knew virtually nothing about London beyond what I know of any big city. I have traveled quite a bit, and big cities often share some things in common, such as public transit, noise, and crowds.

I’m not expecting much of the food or the people, to be honest, but that is because I have a lot of respect for hospitality customs in America. People are often friendly and open to conversation. The food quality is dependent on the place, but usually, big cities have better food options and more diversity. This is not my first trip to Europe, so I have some idea of what to expect. I have not, however, ever been to London, so I might be surprised. I have doubts, though. I fully expect it to be as beautiful as I’ve always imagined, but my faith in people and food is not as rose-tinted. At last, though, I will be able to say that I have been to London, and I cannot wait.

#2:

My experience flying to London was odd, yet typical—an interesting contradiction, which is amusing to me in recollection. I arrived far earlier than I need to at the Pitt County airport, and I felt bad for several reasons. It was nice to meet everyone again, but I can never sleep before a big trip, especially before a plane ride. This is deliberate. I need to be able to sleep on a plane, or the discomfort drives me insane (as do the pressure changes). Usually, I try to sleep for the majority of any plane ride, from boarding through landing. However, TVs were invented, and not only that, everyone gets one on a plane. To commemorate the occasion, I admit that I watched a good deal of British-based TV/film on the way to London. It was a long enough plane ride that I had time to watch TV and catch up on sleep. It was probably one of my more comfortable long plane rides, so I have no real complaints.

As for the first day in London, the first day is always hard to acclimate to. I try to adjust to the new time zone as soon as possible whenever I go anywhere. The first day is always difficult (yes, it bears repeating). People are tired, hot, hungry, overburdened, lost, and overwhelmed in general. I did like getting out to see some of London that first day, however. I want to learn the transportation system as quickly as possible, but I’m not worried. The London Tube is much easier to navigate, from what I’m seeing, than the Metro in Italy (or most other cities). It’s quite time-consuming, I’ve noted. I try to factor in travel time when I’m planning excursions, and this might cut into my plans somewhat. We’ll see how things go.

#3:

I have to say, my initial perception of London has not really changed, even over this past week. Maybe I am jaded from an excess of travel experiences, but I have not really been shocked by anything. I wasn’t even surprised about the scaffolding mummy that is currently Big Ben, the clock tower, and part of Parliament. The same has happened anytime I have gone anywhere; it becomes a familiar frustration and feeling of resignation after a time. You cannot change your timing to such a large degree, so maybe if I ever get the chance to come back to London, something else will be in the midst of restoration.

I have been a bit disappointed by British tea, I will admit. I can be a bit of a tea snob, but I grew up with strong Chinese teas. I entertained the myth that British tea is without peer, but mainly, it seems to be unmatched in expense. At least the pastries are good, and I got a huge kick out of trying London cuisine that I have read about in books, such as meat pies and British biscuits. I think the thing about London that is superb is the architecture, the buildings and structures of old. I would never want to live in a castle—too many steps, and that’s not a mindset that will ever change for me—but I love to tour through them. Seeing a castle in the middle of a modern city never fails to make me feel like I’m standing in a fantasy land. It’s so much fun, and there is history, and more, in every stone. I want to see as many castles, museums, and art as I can.

#4:

I once got into a discussion about “natural” vs. “supernatural” vs. “hyper-natural,” and I loved that topic because the words themselves have certain connotations, and nothing is easy. For me, I make the distinction between natural and supernatural as reality versus fantasy. I try to be honest with myself and to keep separate libraries about the real world and the fantastical narratives. Nature is natural. A magnificent waterfall pouring over a cliff. A bird building a nest. These things usually happen without human contrivance. When not reading fantasy books, I often think of human designs as unnatural. We often appreciate those human constructions just as much. Things like Stonehenge and the Great Wall are precious to us because they are not naturally occurring spaces.

I looked at the London Eye, and it is incredible, but it is the unnatural mimicking something natural. If we want a “bird’s eye view” of London, well, we can’t fly, but humans can build things that will accomplish supernatural goals. We create folklore legends to explain things that defy explanation. Supernatural is something not natural but more than human. I love discussing supernatural tales, learning about where they came from and why they came about. Science often takes away some of the mystery, which can be riveting in and of itself but boring if you like narratives.

#5:

I miss air conditioning. I knew to expect it, but AC might be the sole reason I never want to live anywhere other than the U.S. That lack never gets easier to bear (unless it’s not summer). If I were to create a monster in a novel, it would be wreathed in flames and too hot to bear to be around. It would also probably be from a swamp—with roots from living in a floodplains area, but such is inspiration. I don’t think I would feel bad about acknowledging these things, either.

As for things that have gotten easier, getting to and from the Tube, and the buses, has gotten easier. It is such a common mode of transportation here that it is beginning to feel natural. I’ve only used one taxi, and that was near day two. I miss my car, though. The Underground is terribly loud, stuffy, and generally uncomfortable. I have come to associate travel with discomfort, which makes me think of Richard and Door. They can’t fly like Peter Pan. Even though Door can open doors, they often have to get around the mundane way. It’s nice to come home to creature comforts after a long time away.

#6:

The “monsters” in the novels came as no surprise to me, particularly with A Monster Calls. Ursula le Guinn and Lloyd Alexander, to name a couple, did something very similar in their writing, although I must admit that Ness’s monster was far more three-dimensional as a character, which I approved of. I love narratives and studying narrative structures, but sometimes this makes things predictable, which is also usually fine. Twisting a trope on its ear must be done right. I most enjoyed reading about the conceptions of monsters from “Monster Theory” and then applying those constructions back to our readings. That gave everything more depth, and I loved burrowing into the history, the culture, and the folklore surrounding these “monsters.”

Since I prefer the fantasy genre almost exclusively to read, I often think of going to see plays as a special treat. The play might have the same text, but the company might interpret it in startlingly different ways. I laughed so hard during A Midsummer Night’s Dream; that has always been my favorite Shakespeare play. It was shocking, and it was glorious. The “monsters” were rather more difficult to pin down in those four plays, however. I can make several arguments, but it often boils down to human nature. The same could be said for the poetry anthology. Poetry interpretation is not my strong suit. I prefer to look at syntactical strategies rather than semantic interpretation. A lyric poem is a beautiful thing, and I know that I want the poems in my anthology to make me smile whenever I hear them. Cacophonous discord can be hard to appreciate without the right context.

Time is trickling away, and there is still so much to see and do. It is hard not to be able to read to my heart’s content when traveling, but I know it is important to do all you can when visiting a new place you may never return to again.

#7:

Synthesis for Essay:

I have learned/decided that I want to dedicate myself to the study of narratives. This was not necessarily a new revelation, but the work we have done here has helped to cement the decision. Experiencing London as we read novels and other materials—often featuring London—has been a novel experience, as it were. For my synthesis essay, I plan to use narrative as my theme. I will draw in the study of our readings and class discussion and try to make connections to multiculturalism, children’s literature, poetry, and folklore. Since our readings have covered that spectrum, the difficult part may be bringing in my experiences around London. I want to discuss the bridge between fantasy and reality, and reading fantasy while standing in a real London location might be the perfect time to do so.

I have learned a lot, and I value trying new things. I would like that to be reflected in the essay. I think it is important to be familiar with the place you are trying to write about and/or include in your writing, but more than that, I treasure the little moments when something incomprehensible happens. When the bus breaks down, when the giant raven eats your sandwich, things like that. Those are the moments that make life unique and exciting. The setting is spectacular, but the people and other things in it define those moments. That’s why I think that level of attention to detail is so important in a book, even a novel that is trying to teach an overarching life lesson or twelve. Sometimes, it is the small things that happen along the way that are the most memorable.

My essay will probably include snippets from my daybook entries and speculation on narrative themes and structures. Everything has a story. Everything is a story. The plays we’ve been to, the novels we’ve read, the poetry we’ve shared, and even the London Dungeon—those all are narratives or use narratives. As participants and observers, we make connections and try to delve deeper into these connections. These, too, create some wonderful moments, and I hope that my synthesis essay will properly convey my appreciation for studying narrative using multiculturalism, poetry, children’s lit, and folklore as frameworks.

#8:

Things I will miss in/about London List:

-stunning architecture

-the Thames

-Chinatown

-museums

-parks and gardens

-King’s Cross Station

Things I will not miss in/about London List:

-London Underground and the Tube

-city noises and smells

-lack of AC

-crowds

Some of these things might seem like they clash, but I have my reasons. Why will I miss King’s Cross Station and not the rest of the Underground? Simple. King’s Cross is a hub, and you can go to many other places from there. The Tube lines tend to be more limited, and they’re packed and stuffy. Similarly, I won’t miss the city noises, smells, and crowds of pushy people. I have had to wear ear plugs every time I so much as set foot outside the flat, and the cacophony of people noises makes me want to jump out of my skin. I hate being crowded. I will miss all of the beautiful gardens and parks and historical structures, though. I love how beautiful those are. And I will miss the museums. I think if a city has a museum, it really has something that people should want to come in droves to see, and they’re often splendid buildings.

I will NOT miss the heat. I need my air conditioning, and that’s that. I did love the Thames and Chinatown. The sound of the water is always a balm, and I can never get enough authentic Chinese food. Most of all, I will probably miss interacting with people. I am a bit of a recluse, so getting to spend time with people beyond the classroom is always welcome.

#9:

I’m packing many, many, MANY photos and memories. This has been a unique experience for me. I usually travel with family members. The last time I went on a trip with peers was more than a decade ago. I had forgotten how much fun it could be. Those photos and videos might not be physically in my travel backpack, but I had resolved not to get too many souvenirs this time. In the past, I have been careful to get at least one present for my loved ones, something special. However, we’re all grown now, and we don’t need anything random. We’re all more interested in putting money towards the next big trip. Consequently, I have only a few keepsakes.

What will forever be in my London suitcase is my London suitcase, as it were. I have a travel backpack that goes on every big trip with me, and it is vital to keeping my stuff where I can keep an eye on it. However, I will be toting home a couple of very nice scarves and some books. I will not be toting home a couple dozen protein bars. We always travel with rations, but I’ve never noticed this tactic doing anything except encouraging us to eat out (avoidance). I will be different, of course. I’ve learned and done so much in London, and I think this will have a huge effect on my as a student. I now know what I want to do for research. I keep mentioning this, but it is important to me. And I want to come back to London someday. That might be the best endorsement I can offer. I will always treasure the memories, the people I traveled with, and the things we did. Those cannot be replicated, and I’m eager to share my tales of adventures when I get home.

[perissologist]

ok i’m in a Mood(TM) where i WILL put absolutely anything and everything on this website so i’m gonna force all of you to look at the best thing i’ve ever written in my entire 22 years of life which i’ve just rediscovered on my google docs:

It was hot and dry; nosebleed weather. Lise sat on the terrace of the most popular Mediterranean restaurant in Westminster, holding her body as still as possible so that she wouldn’t sweat in her white wraparound dress. The rookie sat across from her, eyes on the menu. He was even damper than her in his full silk suit, but it was a posh sort of establishment, and he would have looked ridiculous in linen. To their right, the peaks of Parliament rose against the flat sky like castle turrets; beyond that, the Thames glittered deep blue in the rare English sunshine, its filth masked by the light and the distance.

The rookie noticed her looking at him and reached up to adjust his tie. It was automatic, nervous. He was about as green as they got, still carrying the tics of the academy on his coattails and straight into the mission. They had assigned him to her because he was a local, supposedly her key to unlocking the secrets of Europe. She suspected that it was more of a punishment. An unofficial cuff on the head for the antics she’d pulled on her last mission.

“What is it?” the rookie asked. At least he had the sense to keep his voice low. “Am I giving us away?”

Lise forced out a smile. She leaned in and twined her leg with the rookie’s, who immediately turned an amusing shade of beetroot. “Relax, darling,” she purred, in her best London accent. “It’s not often that we get to take lunch together.”

The rookie coughed. He had forgotten their cover, but at least he was a quick learner: His shoulders relaxed under his suit jacket and he reached across the table to take her hand, no fumbling involved. She smiled again, a little more real this time, and nodded when the waiter stopped by their table to ask if they were ready. “I’ll have the lamb and rice, please,” she said. “And a glass of your driest white.”

“The seafood stew for me,” the rookie said.

The waiter jotted down their orders and departed. Lise adjusted her broad-brimmed sunhat over her eyes and checked the entrances, the exits, the rooftops above and below the terrace’s level. She drummed her manicured fingertips against her thigh and watched the rookie sweat across from her. He was so new that she felt older by a decade just looking at him, but in reality they were probably close to the same age. He wasn’t half bad to look at: A thin face with a thin nose, but a sharp jawline and crystal blue eyes to rescue it. When she had first met him, his tawny, curly hair had annoyed her, but now she found it distantly charming. Maybe it was the heat going to her head. She tilted her head at him, sweet. “Tell me your name again.”

“Oh—it’s James,” he said. “James Caleb.”

She made a face. “Two first names? That’s a bit excessive.”

“No—Caleb’s not—”

The waiter arrived with their dishes. Another patron had entered the terrace, guided by the hostess to a singles table by the railing. He was white, fiftyish, square-jawed and a little pink under the skin in the way many white men were when they got to a certain age. He wore a navy suit without a tie and oxfords polished to a precise shine; his white-blond hair was just long enough to pull off a half-decent combover. He sat down at his table and hid his face behind the menu the waiter handed him.

“Sorry, darling, but I think I’ve just spotted an old friend.” Lise pulled the napkin off her lap and rose from her seat. “You don’t mind if I pop over to say hello, do you?”

She was moving across the terrace before the rookie had even turned enough to get a good look at their target, slipping into the empty seat across the table from the man. “I recommend the lamb,” she said, without the accent. “It’s excellent with lemon.”

The man looked up, already working up a scowl. His expression changed when he saw that she was a woman, and attractive. “Pardon me,” he said, with all the oily pleasantry one would expect from a politician, “but do we know each other?”

Lise smiled. ���You don’t know me, but I know you, Walter Pipwhite.” In the next second, the barrel of her pistol was pressed against Pipwhite’s knee. He paled as dramatically as if someone had drained the blood out of him. “MP of Chatham and Aylesford, graduate of Cambridge in political economy and Aberdeen in English law, serving a second term in Parliament. Leaking state secrets to black market arms dealers in Austria and Lisbon.” Pipwhite looked as if someone was currently dangling him off Tower Bridge. “You really should keep your affairs in better order, Mr. Pipwhite.”

Pipwhite swallowed. “What do you want?”

Lise sighed. It was so boring when the targets rolled over so easily. Where was the fight? The thrill of the chase? “The name of the head of the operation, please and thank you.”

“I don’t know it,” Pipwhite said. “I only know my contact in the organization. I gave her the information and she verified it. After she confirmed it was good, she passed it on to her boss.”

“And the payments?”

“They were deposited in my accounts under a shell corporation. ‘Nautilus Ltd.’”

With one hand, Lise withdrew a tiny pad of paper and a nub of a pencil from a pocket in her dress, keeping her other hand pressing the pistol to Pipwhite’s knee. She jotted down “Nautilus Ltd” on the pad. “Would you be so kind as to share a description of this contact?”

Pipwhite’s brow furrowed. “White, attractive. Thirty, thirty-five. Thin. French accent. Carried herself like she knew the effect she had on you.”

Lise glared at him. “What is this, a Nicholas Sparks novel? What kind of identifying information is that?”

Pipwhite at least had the decency to flush. “Sorry. Dark hair, gray eyes. Sharpish face. Five-seven, five-eight. I think she had a mole on the left side of her neck.”

“Name?”

“I only knew what her colleagues called her. Fleur de Lis.”

“Pretentious,” Lise muttered, but wrote it down anyway. “Final question. Why’d you do it?”

Pipwhite’s eyes widened. “What?”

“You know,” Lise said. “Betray your country, collaborate with terrorists. Why?”

“I—” Pipwhite frowned, severe, and Lise recognized the excuse forming in his mouth. She sighed loudly, cutting him off.

“Never mind,” she said, and shot him in the chest, under the table.

Pipwhite slumped against the railing. Lise rose and rejoined the rookie at their table. He had half-stood from his chair and was looking at her with wide eyes. “Did you—?”

“How’s your seafood, dear?” Lise asked. She cut into a piece of lamb with her knife and fork and scooped up some of the spiced chutney on the side of her plate. Mm. Fucking delicious.

The rookie folded himself back into his chair with painful slowness. He picked up his fork but didn’t use it. She ate her lamb and let him stare at her for a while. At last, he asked, barely a whisper, “Shouldn’t we leave?”

“No one will notice for a while,” Lise said. “Until then, it’d be a shame to waste this lovely meal, wouldn’t it?”

She sipped her wine. The lunchtime chatter carried on around them; overhead, seagulls circled the Big Ben and swooped between the spokes of the London Eye. The rookie swallowed. He was pale underneath his sunburn. “They told me about you,” he said, low, like he was sharing a secret. “Back at HQ.”

“Oh?” Lise tasted some of her rice. It was great; very fluffy. “What did they tell you?”

“That you’re as insolent as a teenage girl but as bloodthirsty as a Navy SEAL.”

Lise grinned. “Those two qualities are far from contradictory, John.”

“James.” The rookie’s eyes darted towards Pipwhite’s slumped-over form. Lise sighed and took pity on him.

“Your British fretting is very cute, but it’s unnecessary. He’s just asleep.”

The rookie’s eyes locked back onto her. “What?”

“Hydrochlorine tranq dart,” Lise said. “It’s very fast-acting.”

It took a moment, but the tension drained from the rookie’s shoulders. He looked limp with relief. “Oh.” He exhaled, shaky. “Sorry I said you were insolent.”

“And bloodthirsty,” Lise reminded him, smirking.

“Right.”

“Hey,” someone at the next table said, voice rising. “I think that guy passed out.”

“That’s our cue.” Lise stood and tossed a fifty-pound note on the table. The rookie hastened to follow her towards the exit, the waiters rushing in the opposite direction as they hurried towards the unconscious MP. “Just so you know, I never would have killed him here.”

“Of course,” the rookie said.

“It would’ve made getting out of London a nightmare.”

The rookie looked suddenly nervous again. Lise grinned and led him out onto the street. “Alright, Jimbo,” she said. “Which way to St. Pancras station?”

I WILL NEVER TOP THIS SOMEONE GIVE ME A PULITZER FOR THIS

[biofunmy]

Cheers, tears, prayers for 2020: A new decade is ushered in

Revelers around the globe are bidding farewell to a decade that will be remembered for the rise of social media, the Arab Spring, the #MeToo movement and, of course, President Donald Trump.

A look at how the world is ushering in 2020:

———

HONG KONG

Revelers as well as pro-democracy protesters flocked to sites across Hong Kong to usher in 2020.

The semi-autonomous Chinese city has toned down New Year’s celebrations amid the monthslong demonstrations. The protests have repeatedly sparked pitched battles with police and have taken their toll on Hong Kong’s nightlife and travel industries.

A fireworks display that traditionally lights up famed Victoria Harbor was canceled amid safety concerns, while some roads were closed and barriers set up in the Lan Kwai Fong nightlife district to control crowds.

———

RUSSIA

Russians began the world’s longest continuous New Year’s Eve with fireworks and a message from President Vladimir Putin urging them to work together in the coming year.

Putin made the call in a short speech broadcast on television just before the stroke of midnight in each of Russia’s 11 time zones. The recorded message was followed by an image of the Kremlin Clock and the sound of its chimes. State TV showed footage of extensive festive fireworks in cities of the Far East.

But one holiday tradition was missing in Moscow this year — a picturesque layer of snow. The Russian capital has had an unusually warm December and temperatures in central Moscow as midnight approached were just above freezing.

———

AUSTRALIA

More than a million people descended on a hazy Sydney Harbour and surrounding areas to ring in of the new year despite the ongoing wildfire crisis ravaging New South Wales, Australia’s most populous state.

The 9 p.m. fireworks over Sydney’s iconic landmarks was briefly delayed due to strong winds, but revelers clearly enjoyed themselves in a desperately needed tonic for the state.

New South Wales has born the brunt of the wildfire damage, which has razed more than 1,000 homes nationwide and killed 12 people in the past few months.

———

NEW ZEALAND

New Zealand’s major cities greeted the new year with fireworks as the nation appeared happy to be done with a year of challenges, both natural and man-made.

On March 15, a lone gunman identified killed 51 people and wounded dozens at two mosques in the South Island city of Christchurch. In December, an eruption of volcanic White Island off the east coast of the North Island killed at least 19 tourists and tour guides.

———

SAMOA

In Samoa, New Year’s Eve was more somber than usual. While fireworks erupted at midnight from Mount Vaea, overlooking the capital, Apia, the end of the year was a time of sadness and remembrance.

A measles epidemic in late 2019 claimed 81 lives, mostly children under 5.

More than 5,600 measles cases were recorded in the nation of just under 200,000. With the epidemic now contained, the Samoa Observer newspaper named as its Person of the Year health workers who fought the outbreak.

———

LONDON

Londoners were making their way to the banks of the River Thames to jostle for position to watch a spectacular fireworks display launched from the London Eye and barges near Parliament.

The familiar chimes of London’s Big Ben clock tower were to ring in the new year, even though they have been silent for most of 2019 because of extensive restoration work.

To the north, the multi-day Hogmanay New Year’s celebrations in Edinburgh began Monday night with a torchlight parade through the streets of the Scottish capital.

Security was tight in both cities and elsewhere in Britain following a recent extremist attack on London Bridge that claimed two lives. Police arrested five men on suspicion of terrorism offenses Monday but said the arrests were not related to the London Bridge attack or to New Year’s Eve celebrations.

———

SOUTH AFRICA

Thousands of revelers gathered at Cape Town’s Waterfront area to ring in the new year with music, dancing and fireworks in front of the city’s iconic Table Mountain.

In past years, residents of Johannesburg’s poor Hillbrow neighborhood would celebrate the New Year by tossing furniture, appliances and even refrigerators from the balconies of high-rise apartment buildings. Police have issued stern warnings, and it appears the dangerous tradition has declined.

In a somber statement, President Cyril Ramaphosa said “while our economy created jobs, these have not been nearly enough to stop the rise in unemployment or the deepening of poverty.”

South African singer Yvonne Chaka Chaka was deported from Uganda, where she was to perform at a New Year’s Eve event. Ugandan police cited visa issues, but Ugandan media reported it was because she had voiced support for Ugandan pop star Bobi Wine, the most potent opposition challenger to President Yoweri Museveni.

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ROME

Pope Francis delighted tourists and Romans in St. Peter’s Square on Tuesday night when he took a stroll to admire the Nativity scene. Shouts of “Pope! Pope!” and “Happy New Year!” resounded as families rushed to catch a glimpse of him or thrust out their infant in hopes he would pat their heads or pinch their cheeks.

One woman grabbed the pope’s hand and pulled him toward her to shake it. Francis, 83, exclaimed and then struck the woman’s hand twice to free his hand.

At a New Year’s Eve Vespers service in St. Peter’s Basilica, Francis urged people to practice more solidarity and to “build bridges, not walls.” Since becoming pontiff in 2013, Francis has preached openness — a reform-minded agenda that has irritated a small but vocal group of ultra-conservatives in the church.

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UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

For nearly 10 minutes, fireworks will light the sky over Dubai’s Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, as hundreds of thousands gather downtown to watch the spectacular display.

The New Year’s Eve display at the 828-meter-tall (2,716-foot-tall) skyscraper is just one of seven different fireworks shows across the emirate. Tourists, especially from Europe and Russia, flock to the sunny beaches of Dubai at this time of year to escape the cold, dark winter.

To keep the massive crowds safe, police have created walkways around the Burj Khalifa tower for male-only groups to separate them from families and women.

Dubai this year will be hosting Expo 2020, a world fair that brings the most cutting-edge and futuristic technologies.

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JAPAN

People flocked to temples and shrines in Japan, offering incense with their prayers to celebrate the passing of a year and the the first New Year’s of the Reiwa era.

Under Japan’s old-style calendar, linked to emperors’ rules, Reiwa started in May, after Emperor Akihito stepped down and his son Naruhito became emperor. Although Reiwa is entering its second year with 2020, Jan. 1 still marks Reiwa’s first New Year’s, the most important holiday in Japan.

Stalls at Zojoji Temple in Tokyo sold sweet rice wine, fried noodles and candied apples, as well as little amulets in the shape of mice, the zodiac animal for 2020. Since the Year of the Mouse starts off the Asian zodiac, it’s associated with starting anew.

Tokyo will host the 2020 Summer Olympics, an event that is creating much anticipation for the entire nation.

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INDONESIA

Tens of thousands of revelers in Indonesia’s capital of Jakarta were soaked by torrential rains as they waited for New Year’s Eve fireworks while others in the country were wary of an active volcano.

Festive events along coastal areas near the Sunda Strait were dampened by a possible larger eruption of Anak Krakatau, an island volcano that erupted last year just ahead of Christmas Day, triggering a tsunami that killed more than 430 people.

The country’s volcanology agency has warned locals and tourists to stay 2 kilometers (1.3 miles) from the volcano’s crater following an eruption Tuesday that blasted ash and debris up to 2,000 meters (6,560 feet) into the air.

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SOUTH KOREA

Thousands of South Koreans filled cold downtown streets in Seoul ahead of a traditional bell-tolling ceremony near City Hall to send off an exhausting 2019 highlighted by political scandals, decaying job markets and crumbling diplomacy with North Korea.

Dignitaries ringing the old Bosingak bell at midnight included South Korean Major League Baseball pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu and Pengsoo, a giant penguin character with a gruff voice and blunt personality that emerged as one of the country’s biggest TV stars in 2019.

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GERMANY

Hundreds of thousands of revelers are expected to ring in the New Year in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin.

Several German cities including Munich and Hamburg have banned private fireworks amid concerns about the danger and environmental impacts from the increasingly powerful fireworks. A recent poll by the Forsa research institute found 59% of Germans would support a ban on private fireworks in city centers, while 37% were opposed.

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PARIS

A joyful crowd of Parisians and tourists walked, biked and used scooters to reach the Champs-Elysees for the new year celebrations, in a city with almost no public transport amid massive strikes.

Revelers were converging toward the famous avenue to watch a light show at the Arc de Triomphe, followed by a fireworks display at midnight.

Paris police set up a security perimeter around the Champs-Elysees area with a ban on alcohol and traffic restrictions.

All metro lines in the French capital were closed except for two automatic lines, and only a few night buses were running, as Tuesday marked the 27th consecutive day of transport strikes against President Emmanuel Macron’s plans to overhaul the French pension system.

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NEW YORK

A Chinese dance performance, punctuated with red and gold pyrotechnics, will usher in a host of stars at Times Square’s six-hour New Year’s Eve extravaganza.

The throng of revelers in the heart of Manhattan will get to see rap-pop star Post Malone, K-pop group BTS, country singer Sam Hunt and singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette during the big street party.

While giddiness will likely prevail at the televised event, some important global issues will be driven home, as well.

High school science teachers and students, spotlighting efforts to combat climate change, will press the button that begins the famous 60-second ball drop and countdown to next year.

Then comes the 3,000 pounds (1,360 kilograms) of confetti, accompanied by more pyrotechnics.

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Move on the Rock ’n’ Roll walking tour for a peek of London

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Move on the Rock ’n’ Roll walking tour for a peek of London

Rock ’n’ roll can be viewed as American property, but it’s hard to disclaim that much of the genre’s history, and some of its largest names, too, come from the opposite side of the pond.

London was swinging inside the mid-Nineteen Sixties, and from arts, fashion to the song, it turned into the epicenter of a cultural revolution that changed the arena forever.

Little may additionally have transpired within the call of improvement and song from the time of the London Blitz, but in the 1960s, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix et al, had been cruising along Soho’s sidewalk and cavorting on King’s Street.

London’s properly curated and guided excursion of its rock ’n’ roll hotspots, Rock ’n’ Roll taking walks tour, gives a peek in the back of the curtains and closed doors of mythical live venues, recording studios, espresso houses, and liquor shops. Even as I largely simplest was given to look the façade of most of those traveler pitstops (lots of them had been re-purposed for different trades), understanding that mythical musicians mixed and mingled on those hallowed grounds turned into enough to immerse me inside the myths and legends of British rock ’n’ roll. Top Places to Enjoy the light in London London’s weather is unpredictable. It is high-quality to have a plan up your sleeve for while it gets heat so you could make the maximum of the unexpected sunshine. Understand in which to move for a walk, picnic, boat journey, or fresh beverage if the sun surprises you.

Parks

London’s most vital Regent’s and St James’s Parks generally tend to get extraordinarily busy over the summer season months while the climate’s best and heat. Keep away from the beaten music and tourist crowds by heading to London’s lesser acknowledged however equally cherished green areas.

Victoria Park is positioned in London’s hip East Cease and so is splendid for a niche of people looking At the same time as you soak up the sun. Assume to look lots of the metropolis’s coolest crowds showing off their antique-stimulated summer patterns While cooking veggie burgers on a disposable barbecue, or gambling a round of ball.

The park dates returned to the nineteenth century and nevertheless boasts many of its unique features from timber to fountains to sculptures.

Battersea Park is a wildlife haven very near primary London. At some point of even the briefest of visits, you’re possible to spot birds which include the cormorant, heron or grebe luckily living near around the lake and its many surrounding bushes.

Forestall off at one of the park’s cafes for a refreshing drink or ice cream. Children will love the playgrounds, along with the challenging adventure playground. Absolutely everyone’s welcome to Enjoy the park through bicycle.

Boats

There may be nothing like a nice cooling breeze to assuage your sunburnt pores and skin. Hop on a river or canal boat cruise to feel the fresh chill of the water and its breeze.

Famous canal routes will take you from Camden to Little Venice, some stopping off at London Zoo. It is a remarkable way to look the city’s many houseboats and peek into the gardens of the lucky few who live in the houses lining the canal facet.

Jenny Wren, Jason’s Canal Boat tour, and London Waterbus Agency are just some of the agencies providing canal cruise services.

to see some of London’s great regarded attractions, take a boat journey on the River Thames. Whether or not you hop on a river bus carrier by means of Delivery for London, or a privately-run cruise, all boats will soak up some of the town’s sights alongside the way, together with Tower Bridge, London Eye, and the homes of Parliament.

Outdoor Watering Holes

For a comfortable, backyard experience where puppies are as welcomes as punters, mission to the Garden Gate close to Hampstead Heath. Its huge Outdoor area behind the bar boasts lots of tables for thirsty sunbathers who can seek colour beneath the luxurious inexperienced foliage if the solar hits a chunk too hard. The menu functions nicely-costs pub nosh, and a massive selection of beers, in addition to wines.

In case you manifest to paintings in or be touring The town, There’s nowhere better to Experience the light than the roof terrace bar of the DoubleTree Tower of London resort. Boasting sprawling views throughout the River Thames, Tower Bridge, the Gherkin, and St Paul’s Cathedral, the bar is certain to electrify any traveler. It is an incredible setting to wow a person on a date, and the cocktail menu compliments this substantially.

points of interest and Sounds of London London has become a 24/7 metropolis as it teems with lifestyles with its golf equipment, pubs, theatres and Locations of pastimes. It has end up a “have to see” city – cultural and educational through day, upbeat and worldwide by means of night. The Popular town of “London” technically applies to Extra London. For specifics, the metropolis of London is the rectangular mile economic district of More London and is just one of the thirty-three boroughs of Extra London. However, for the rest of the sector, London is London.

The city is presently busily getting ready for the coming 2012 summer time Olympics. lodge reservations as early as now are trickling-in in many London hotels inside the area. The imminent summer Olympics is handiest one of the many reasons why you ought to go to London. It’s far a town steeped in history and rich in way of life that an excursion of the area is really worth your Whilst.

The Changing of the Guards at Buckingham Palace is iconic of London. No London tour could be entire without experiencing the loose show of Royal pageantry on the Buckingham Palace, the Royal London residence of the Queen. It’s also the seat of the executive headquarters of the Monarchy. The Country rooms, wherein the Royal family entertains their guests for professional features, are open from the months of August to September. If you are eager on having a better view of this first-class example of Georgian structure, It is exceptional to ebook your London hotels early.

Big Ben on the homes of Parliament is a sight that must no longer be neglected and cannot be neglected. The four-faced unfastened standing clock is one hundred fifty years old and not All people is aware of that the tower has cells for imprisoning Parliament members. not anymore even though as the final recorded case changed into in 1880.

Pictured in every other London postcard, The Tower Bridge became inaugurated in 1894 and is a pattern of each architectural and engineering genius. The bridge is a combination bascule and suspension bridge shape to permit the passage for water cars on the River Thames. The 2 towers of the bridge aren’t up for merely aesthetic motives however to counter and balance the horizontal and vertical forces of the complete structure.

feel loose to drop by way of the Tower of London to take a peek at the ones Beefeaters! different areas and Places that you must include in your itinerary is a journey to the British Museum, Madame Tussauds, Trafalgar square, Tate Gallery of Cutting-edge Art, The Victoria and Albert Museum, the Country wide Gallery and the numerous parks and gardens in the vicinity. Do not hesitate to trip the new symbol of London known as the attention of London!

You ought to not the leave out a journey to any of the famed London markets. There’s bound to be a marketplace close to your motel. Included, Outdoor or road marketplace, the idea for those markets had its origins lower back in the center a while. A London market enjoy is a need to as wholesale and retail income of almost any object-foods and precise – are to be had. a number of the greater exceptional markets are: Borough; Covent Lawn; Camden; Portobello Road marketplace (Notting Hill!) and Columbia Street marketplace.

West Stop is United kingdom’s Broadway. No visit to London could be entire without a West Stop enjoy. presently displaying are: Chicago, Oliver! Phantom of the Opera, Love In no way Dies (sequel to Phantom), Stomp, Cat on a Warm Tin Roof, and greater. Eating place hop and pattern the exclusive cuisines that London has to offer. experience the pulsating beat at Egg, Material, Cable Membership, The Forum, Cirque and greater.

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My Trip to London

A trip when you are 17-years-old to anywhere would be influential but a trip when you are 17 to a different country is life changing. I visited London with my school for a theatre trip and the city itself was breathtaking. London’s history and architecture is something that I never believe existed in the world until finally having the opportunity to visit it.

We began our trip like any other — getting the tour of the city first. We went right to the epicenter of it all:  Buckingham Palace. The Palace is 820,000 square feet, and it’s massive size was evident from the outside. It stood clad in gold at the top, with a surrounding fence that had “B P” imprinted in gold on the main entrance. The Palace was full of tourists and people with their iPads out trying to blend in but failing immensely. The guards stood watch with these funny hats, which could be described as fuzzy tube sock. One flag stood alone at the top of the Palace waving in the wind. The Royal Flag was flown to alert the people of London that the queen was in residence. In the center of all of the people stood a statue with a marble base, and at the top were two people etched in gold holding a globe. Standing atop the globe was the piece called “Winged Victory.” The Statue was placed there to honor Queen Victoria. It stands 85 feet tall and looks over the London Mall. The Palace and surrounding areas were as pure as architecture can — get every little detail etched into this masterpiece of history. We got our pictures before being whisked away to another London landmark.

My whole life up to the moment I saw Big Ben, I was under the impression it was just a really tall stand-alone clock tower. As we rounded the corner to the front of Big Ben, it became apparent it was not standing alone. It was attached to one of the largest buildings in London —  The Palace of Westminster. When a fire burned down the original house of Parliament in 1834, the people of the London wanted a clock tower to accompany the new structure. The Tower was designed to look regal and be a focal point of the city and its elegance. This was apparent in the sleek stone work and unmatched detail placed in and around the clock face. The structure is designed with such intense detail all the way to the weather vane on top, called Little Ben. We stood marveling at the structure before finally learning that we weren’t even looking at Big Ben at all. Big Ben is actually the bell that is inside, and I felt as though I had been lied to my whole life. We had been admiring the Elizabeth Tower, and the look on everyone else’s faces proved to me that I wasn’t the only one that had been lied to. We got our pictures and were forced back onto a bus and headed for our next stop.

I had heard a lot about this London Bridge but nothing about it ever seemed positive in the songs I used to sing about it. It was, in fact, nothing like what I was expecting. We weren’t even at the London Bridge, come to find out.  We were at the tower bridge. Nonetheless, London has perfected architecture, and America may be falling behind. This bridge was not just a bridge that people drive on, oh no. This bridge was a castle — not real- life a castle ,but it looked like one. It had two huge building- like structures that supported the bridge, and you could even have a banquet or wedding in them. The two bridge towers came to sharp peaks and little statues rested on top. Both towers had been designed with immense detail; they looked as if they were trying to pretend to be a community college branch of Hogwarts. The bridge was supported by these long blue suspension strands. The bridge had been constructed in 1824 but looked like it had been built yesterday because it was unscathed. We walked on the bridge and looked out across the city and the Thames river. Throughout London there was buildings of every shape and size. I quickly noticed a giant egg shaped building that was made of all glass sitting on the horizon. The city looked like something that Marty McFly would have imagined. We headed off the bridge, and it was time to get some food.

We entered a pub at two in the afternoon, but it was already packed. We got our seats and began to talk about all the amazing things we had already seen. I did come to love London in just the few short hours we had been there, but there were negatives as well. London is not so big on turning on the AC. I get it, yes it’s summer, and there’s a little wind chill but not enough to drop the temperature inside the pub from 90 to a brisk 68.  If that was the only bad experience, I think I’d be okay. We ordered, and I learned they don’t call soda “pop”, or even “soda” in London. They call every fountain drink Coke, so we were told. You order a Coke, and then they say what kind, and you just stare back in confusion. When they did get around to bringing your Coke flavored Coke, it had zero ice. I was baffled. How these people don’t just sweat up a storm with their warm drinks and 90 degree pubs, well like licks to the center of a tootsie pop, the world may never know. Now I do know Haggis is a Scottish food, and although we were in London,  I wanted to try it. I promptly told everyone around me to tell me nothing about what I was going to eat. When the haggis arrived it looked like a black quiche. That was my first warning sign. It tasted like warm grapes wrapped with spinach with spam inside. Trust me it was not as delicious as it sounds. It was a one- bite- and- I’m- done kind of food for me. I can now proudly say I ate haggis but I will never again. We finished eating and had one more stop before we would head back to the hotel. 

We went down these roads swerving and weaving around traffic in this bus. Little did all the people of London know they’re driving on the wrong side of the road. Finally, we pull up to a random parking lot and are lead down an ally. Being in a dark ally didn’t deter some people in our tour group from making sure they got pictures of everything. We stumbled upon a market that sold every little trinket  you could imagine, but we were not allowed to stop and look. We cut down a street and, standing there in all of its glory, was the London Eye. It looked like a giant bicycle tire and on the end of each spoke was a glass incased pill- like object. The eye stood taller than Big Ben at 443 feet. Everyone was so excited to go on it, but it wasn’t going to be an option for me. The Eye again added to the beauty of the London skyline and its incredible architecture, but I would see its beauty with my two feet on the ground. The line was about an hour long, and that in its own right was enough to keep me from riding it. I finally gave into my hunger for real food and found a nice hot dog stand next to the ride. After most of the tour group had competed their idiotic endeavor of going up in a glass box that suspends you over a river, we headed back to the hotel. 

Back at the hotel I quickly learned that it wasn’t just restaurants that weren’t too keen on air conditioning. My hotel room must have been 100 degrees. After much complaining I laid there staring at the ceiling thinking about how different London looked. A place from a different world yet we were only a 6-hour flight from home. At 17-years-old it’s hard for your mind to comprehend something life changing, but I quickly learned that the world is a lot bigger than I once believed. London may not have been good on the AC and the using of the ice, but the city itself was one thing of beauty after another.